For the Strength of My Youth

You might remember that last year we spent a number of weeks in family home evening studying the different topics addressed in For the Strength of Youth (which is a guide for standards that youth and all of us should follow to remain spiritually strong & happy!)

One of the things that came out of our discussions is the idea that my children need to let their friends know what their standards are, and that they need to start gathering friends around them NOW who want to live good standards as well, because in the coming years a lot of kids will start to decide how they want to live.  So now is a good time to start building friendships with those who want to support them in righteous living and vice versa.

We realized that as parents we need to actively help them form those friendships and practice keeping the standards in our home with their friends before they have to do it on their own out in the world. (We also need to do this because we just recently moved here and they need opportunities to keep solidifying friendships outside of school!)

To that end we started having "game nights" where they invite their friends over to socialize in our home.  As parents we give them something fun to do and something to eat and then give them space from us and the responsibility to be good hosts and hostesses and uphold our family's standards.

The first time few times we did it, the kids mostly played games.  Another game night we had was so silly and fun and ended with kids doing back flips in my living room!  I really thought, this was so delightful...and a new experience for me, as a parent of tweens.

So, last week, I wanted to have another fun evening for my kids and their friends, but wanted to do something other than a game night...so we decided to have an art night, and it was a huge success.

My kids weren't too excited to paint on canvases because we had just recently done that, so I got the idea from my Art Camp Teacher sister to make "wearable art".  We used the art of Tiff Manuell as our inspiration to make clutches.  Using some canvas material that I already had on hand, the girls painted directly on the canvas material.  When it dried, we sewed them into little clutches or pencil cases.

It's really neat to connect with friends who are so kind and good and to see these girls (and boys) building each other up in friendship and making good choices together.  I could see that these friends had just as much by way of kindness, thoughtfulness, and tenderness to share with my children as I thought we had to share with them.  That is a blessing!

I will be looking for more fun ideas to do on "game night" in the future, so if you have any suggestions, leave me a comment, please!  Thanks!

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Teaching Children Gospel Standards

Guess what, guys?  I have an article in this month's August 2015 Ensign sharing some experiences my family and I have had learning about and applying the gospel standards.  (That's totally not my family in the photo, however!! ;)

The article is called "Teaching Gospel Standards: One Family's Experience," and can be read online right here or on page 48 of the magazine.  It appears right after Jan Pinborough's article called "Lighting Our Children's Paths with Gospel Standards," and is a companion article to it.

Be sure to read Jan's article too as it mentions my sister Cara Kennedy who wrote a song that helped our family memorize My Gospel Standards.  Check them out!

Also of note: You can now read the Ensign online in a new full-color format...very easy to read. Just follow this link.

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C.L.E.A.N. Talk

I didn't get a chance to tell you about my Friend magazine tip for September, so here it is! 

As children return to school, it's important to remind them of the kind of language that is acceptable --and what is not.

After reading the counsel given by Elder L. Tom Perry in the September 2009 Friend, we created the acronym "C.L.E.A.N." to remind ourselves to use "clean" language.

Can you guess what C.L.E.A.N. stands for?

Go to the Friend Magazine's Weekly Thoughts & Tips page to find out!

(My CLEAN Talk tip is at the bottom of that page.)

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Handkerchief Dress Tutorial

Hey folks!  My name is Becca, and I blog over at BeccaMarie Designs.

Recently for a Young Women's activity we took our little group of young women to the Brigham City Temple Open House.  We wanted the girls to be able to walk through the temple and feel the Spirit there.  

Afterwards we walked across the street and sat down on the grass.  We then talked to them about how important the temple is, and how special it is to keep ourselves morally clean and sexually pure so that we can have the opportunity to be sealed in marriage there.  

In The Family: A Proclamation to the World, prophets of God have said:  "We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed."  "We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife."

As part of our lesson we handed out several 'tokens' to remind the girls to keep themselves clean and white from the sins of the world.  One of the things we handed out was a white handkerchief disguised as a wedding dress.  A handkerchief they could take with them to the temple one day.  

Before making these I searched the internet for a tutorial on how to make them.  I was unable to find one with very much detail, so once I figured out how to make them I made my own tutorial.  And that is what I am sharing with you today:

~ Supplies ~

white handkerchief (it would be pretty if it had a lace trim, but these plain white ones worked fine)

small doll clothes hanger (these were found in the doll-making section at Michaels)

white paper (my paper had small floral designs pressed into it, makes it a bit more fancy)

tape

white ribbon

First we will be folding the handkerchief into the skirt of the dress.  Begin by ironing your handkerchief so it is pretty and smooth.  Lay it on a flat surface and fold one corner over to it's opposite corner.  You will now have a triangle.  Press your fold.

Fold down both tips of your triangle so you once again have a square.  Press your folds.

Once again fold both sides of the square towards the center, as shown below.  Press your folds.

This is what your finished skirt should look like.  You'll see the front of the skirt on the left and on the right is what the back looks like.

The bodice of the dress is made from stiff white paper.  I do not know the size of everyone's handkerchief, so I am not able to make a pattern for you to print out, but I've traced mine and here is what it looks like. It is basically the front and back of the bodice joined and folded over at the shoulders.  I determined the size by laying the hanger and skirt in their respective places on a piece of paper and drawing the bodice to what I thought would be an appropriate size.  Make sure that the bottom of the bodice meets up with the width of the skirt.

Lay your bodice on a flat surface.

Set in the hanger with the hook through the neck hole.  Now take a piece of tape and roll it up with the sticky side rolled outward.  Place it on the inside of the bodice.

Place the handkerchief on the piece of tape so that the tip of the handkerchief is just under the neckline.  Place another piece of rolled tape on top of your handkerchief.

Now fold over the front side of the bodice and press down onto the tape.  Next tie a length of white ribbon around the waist to secure the bodice.

I saw an example of one of these handkerchief dresses and it was wrapped in a cellophane baggie that fit it just so.  I'm guessing this is how it was sold.  We, however, are making our own, and so will make do with what we have.  I had these cellophane baggies in my cupboard from an activity last year.  They are candy bags, I believe, and they can be found in the cake decorating isle at Joanns.  Just snip a tiny hole into the top there and pull the hook of your hanger through it.  Nice and protected :)

I love the young women I've had the opportunity to work with, and I truly want them to be happy.  

The day I was married in the temple to my husband was so special, I can't even begin to describe it.  I don't know that I can call it the best day of my life, because I feel like every day since then has gotten better and better.  I hope these little handkerchief dresses can remind my girls of how important they are to the Lord, and of His desire for their personal purity.

Thank you for letting me come and visit with you in the Family Proclamation Celebration today!!  

love,

Becca

Be sure to check out today's other insightful posts about the Family Proclamation on the following blogs:

    

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In Defense of Milk

I love milk.

My husband joked recently that I consume 2/3's of my daily caloric intake through milk alone.

I'm not gonna deny it.  Drinking milk makes me feel all happy inside.  It's comforting to me, brings back good/happy memories of growing up in a loving home, and quenches my thirst in a tastier way than any other drink, including water most days.  

Another awesome side-effect of drinking milk:  I've never broken a bone...ever...despite the fact that I played every sport known to womankind as a teenager and even a bit in college...(Thank you, Title IX!)  During the fall season, I regularly participated in three different sports at the same time.  No sweat.

I chalk that up to good genes and good old-fashioned milk.

I chug it.  I sip it.  I'll even drink it from a straw (makes it last longer.)

It was pretty awesome when I figured out how to drink straight from the milk jug.  I made less dirty dishes that way, ya know?  And no one knew that when half a gallon of milk disappeared, that I was the culprit.  That is until I started wearing lipgloss....But I've since broken myself of that habit.  (You're welcome family!)

You know what I do NOT love?

POP.

To be specific...caffeinated pop.  (Oh, I know, many of you call it "soda."  And you are free to do so, but if you grew up in the midwest/east like I did, you most likely say pop.)

Oh, I do drink caffeine-FREE pop from time to time...like when I am suffering from morning sickness, sometimes I'll have ginger ale.  Or on a hot summer night, I'll serve some yummy root beer floats (LOTS of ice cream...easy on the root beer!)

But for the most part, I find pop offensive to the system.  7UP is pretty mild...Sprite...forget about it.  To me, taking a swig of Sprite feels like getting slapped in the face.

After I drink pop, I feel like, "Uh, why did I just do that to myself?"

GIVE ME MILK OR GIVE ME DEATH!

I'm glad that I grew up learning from my parents that caffeinated drinks were a "no-no."  

You see back in the 70's, 80's, 90's that was the consensus for most LDS people I knew growing up in Ohio.

Why did we feel that way?  Uh, common sense probably.  But also because of wise counsel given by church leaders of the day...and I guess we were all just sort of "quick to observe" back then.

Here's one official statement from 1972 that I found quoted in the D&C Institute Manual:

"An official statement by the Church’s leaders reads: “With reference to cola drinks, the Church has never officially taken a position on this matter, but the leaders of the Church have advised, and we do now specifically advise, against the use of any drink containing harmful habit-forming drugs under circumstances that would result in acquiring the habit. Any beverage that contains ingredients harmful to the body should be avoided.” ( Priesthood Bulletin, Feb. 1972, p. 4.)"

That's some pretty sweet advice if you ask me.

CAFFEINE-FREE SINCE 1977

So, as you probably know, the church put out a small correction on its website last week...not a correction to the Word of Wisdom (or its interpretation,) as some people are billing it, but a list of corrections to information that was presented by NBC News during their hour-long documentary on Mormonism.  After a handful of adjustments/corrections to the way NBC presented information on their show, the church said this:

Finally, another small correction: Despite what was reported, the Church revelation spelling out health practices (Doctrine and Covenants 89) does not mention the use of caffeine.  The Church’s health guidelines prohibit alcoholic drinks, smoking or chewing of tobacco, and “hot drinks” — taught by Church leaders to refer specifically to tea and coffee. 

According to LDSLiving.com, the way this correction was originally worded said:

“the church does not prohibit the use of caffeine” and that the reference to “hot drinks” “does not go beyond [tea and coffee].” But that wording was changed to say more specifically that the Word of Wisdom itself does not mention the use of caffeine.  

Interesting.

Here's another tidbit from the Institute manual that I found helpful.  The lesson asks this question:

Why isn't the Word of Wisdom more explicit?

Here's the manual's response:  

"The Doctrine and Covenants does not specifically mention heroin, cocaine, marijuana, ecstasy, other illegal drugs, or the abuse of prescription drugs. 

"President Joseph Fielding Smith said: “Such revelation is unnecessary. The Word of Wisdom is a basic law. It points the way and gives us ample instruction in regard to both food and drink, good for the body and also detrimental. If we sincerely follow what is written with the aid of the Spirit of the Lord, we need no further counsel. . . .

“Thus by keeping the commandments we are promised inspiration and the guidance of the Spirit of the Lord through which we will know what is good and what is bad for the body, without the Lord presenting us with a detailed list separating the good things from the bad that we may be protected. We will learn by this faithful observance that the promises of the Lord are fulfilled.” ( Improvement Era, Feb. 1956, pp. 78–79.)"

AMEN TO THAT!

Caffeine-drinkers of the world...Gotta love ya...and I do, I really do.

I'm just saying...I'm glad that because of the wise counsel of my parents I never started drinking it...and despite the clarification offered by the church to NBC News this week, I'm still not going to run out and start drinking Coke (ack!)...because I now know by experience why it's a substance that isn't welcome in my life.

(Somebody get this girl some 2%!)

Furthermore, I'm going to keep teaching my kids to stay far away from the stuff.

(Now if only I could get my daughter to stop thinking that butter is a food group!)

I am so glad that the Lord teaches us correct principles and then expects us to govern ourselves.  

There is so much personal growth to be obtained by having to search out these answers, by having to live out the answers that we receive, and by having to endure and live with the results of our own choices.  The plan works, people!

OH, be wise...what can I say more?

Here are a few more bits of "advice" given by the church on the consumption of caffeinated bevies...not official, of course, but official enough to be printed in church mags.

From 1988 Ensign:  Caffeine: The Subtle Addiction

From 2008:  Energy Drinks: The Lift That Lets You Down

From July 2008 Ensign:  Cancer, Nutrition, and the Word of Wisdom: One Doctor's Observation

Gordon B. Hinckley on 60 Minutes

Also from 2008: Boyd K. Packer answers questions about Caffeine

I also commend the Sistas in Zion who are going to be spending all of October exploring the Word of Wisdom...by doing it!  You go girls...I'm looking forward to your reports from WoW Boot Camp! :)

UPDATE:

Oh, and I've got to add a shout-out to Middle-aged Mormon Man for his treatment of the subject in the post WoW: Tying Up Loose Ends.  It's a good quick read from the Mt. Dew man himself...if you have a second.

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The Mark of a Truly Educated Man

I taught a class on "Avoiding Degrading Media Influences" in Young Women on Sunday.  It's lesson #33 in YW Manual 1.

Now that I am about six years removed from my days of working in the TV industry, I can clearly see how those experiences have endowed me with wisdom as I make choices about what types of media I include in my life, in my home, and how I educate my children about the media that they are being bombarded with on a daily basis.

Of course, as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we can also be endowed with wisdom on these matters by listening to the counsel of our prophets--men who have been called of God to receive revelation, to advise, and warn us about the pitfalls of our day.

The lesson that I had the privilege of teaching on Sunday was full of such priceless wisdom.

This quote from President Ezra Taft Benson stood out to me...Here he speaks of books, but his standards can be applied to ALL forms of media and entertainment today.  He says:

“Today, with the abundance of books available, it is the mark of a truly educated man to know what not to read. … As John Wesley’s mother counseled him: ‘Avoid [1] whatever weakens your reason, [2] impairs the tenderness of your conscience, [3] obscures your sense of God, [4] takes off your relish for spiritual things, … [5] increases the authority of the body over the mind.’

“The fact that a book is old does not necessarily make it of value. The fact that an author wrote one good work does not necessarily mean that all his books are worthy of your time. Do not make your mind a dumping ground for other people’s garbage. It is harder to purge the mind of rotten reading than to purge the body of rotten food, and it is more damaging to the soul” (“In His Steps,” in Speeches of the Year, 1979 [Provo: Brigham Young University Press, 1980], p. 61).

I woke up today, turned on NPR (as I routinely do) and heard the headlines about the overnight shooting, massacre really, in Aurora, Colorado.  I was saddened by the news, but not all that phased.  Actually, I wasn't able to take in the news coverage until later this afternoon, around 4pm.

My kids were with me.  Since we will be leaving on our much-anticipated trip to Colorado (the same area of the shooting actually) very soon, I didn't want my kids to see the story for fear that it might scare them or traumatize them.  However, they wouldn't leave the room, and I decided to use the story as a case in point:  Violence begets violence.

Here we have the largest mass-shooting in our country's history, happening at the midnight viewing at the premiere of a violent movie.  (One part of a series of violent movies...)

This thought stood out as important direction for MY life:  I thought, how ironic, that as a society, we will pay good money to watch violence, but we are shocked when those same violent acts become reality.  Even a daily reality.

Yes, shootings can and do happen everywhere: in Amish schools, in churches, in shopping centers, in homes, etc, but the fact that it happened in a darkened theater, after midnight, in front of an audience that had come there eager to watch a LOT of violence that evening is not lost on me.  


The audience was lulled to the point that when the shooter stepped out from behind the screen in full battle garb, no one thought it was out of place.  No one screamed or left the theater.  They thought he was "part of the show,"--that buzz-worthy show that they had paid good money to see!  So, instead of running, they sat and watched him set off canisters of tear gas!


Only when he shot his gun into the air did people snap out of the trance they were in and head for the exits or duck under their seats.  I can only imagine the thoughts going through the shooter's head, "What's wrong with you people? I'm here to shoot you, and you aren't even reacting!?"


Violent media is spiritually numbing.  But in the case of last night's shooting it seemed to have been physically numbing as well.  One effect of watching violent media is dying a slow spiritual, almost undetectable, death.  For some, last night's screening facilitated a quick physical death as well.


I can hardly watch the coverage of this tragedy...and it is a tragedy, regardless of the circumstances.  It should not have happened.  And at least some of the victims should not have even been there.  The four-month-old who was grazed by a bullet should have been in bed.  So should his four-year-old sister.


As I type this, I want to be clear, that I am not trying to transfer blame from the shooter to the victims.  I am blogging these thoughts as a note to self...and if anyone reading this has ears to hear, then this is for you too.  


As parents--as people--we take our spiritual and physical lives (and that of our children) into our own hands when we participate in or watch depictions of violence.  When we decide to step outside of the guidelines that we've been given by prophets, we take ourselves outside of the guidance of the spirit and walk a dangerous, unprotected path.  


As the world becomes more and more evil, more and more volatile and troubled, it will become more and more vital for us to stand in holy places in order to remain safe--both spiritually and physically.


This will take vigilance.  This will require planning on our part to steer our eyes and energies toward uplifting media that will enhance our ability to feel the spirit, so that when we encounter real physical danger, we can heed the warnings of the Spirit without delay and retreat to safer ground.


From what I have gleaned from the very little coverage I have watched of this incident, the shooter was quite intelligent and very well-educated.  He was probably also mentally-disturbed, as he told police that he "is the Joker."  Let us not be prideful, but teachable.  Let us display "the mark of a truly educated man," by walking away from media that promotes violence and degrades us to the point that violence and hatred grows undetected inside of us...until it is too late.

From For the Strength of Youth:

Whatever you read, listen to, or look at has an effect on you. Therefore, choose only entertainment and media that uplift you. Good entertainment will help you to have good thoughts and make righteous choices. It will allow you to enjoy yourself without losing the Spirit of the Lord.

While much entertainment is good, some of it can lead you away from righteous living. Offensive material is often found in web sites, concerts, movies, music, videocassettes, DVDs, books, magazines, pictures, and other media. Satan uses such entertainment to deceive you by making what is wrong and evil look normal and exciting. It can mislead you into thinking that everyone is doing things that are wrong.

Do not attend, view, or participate in entertainment that is vulgar, immoral, violent, or pornographic in any way. Do not participate in entertainment that in any way presents immorality or violent behavior as acceptable.

Pornography in all its forms is especially dangerous and addictive. What may begin as a curious indulgence can become a destructive habit that takes control of your life. It can lead you to sexual transgression and even criminal behavior. Pornography is a poison that weakens your self-control, changes the way you see others, causes you to lose the guidance of the Spirit, and can even affect your ability to have a normal relationship with your future spouse. If you encounter pornography, turn away from it immediately.

Depictions of violence often glamorize vicious behavior. They offend the Spirit and make you less able to respond to others in a sensitive, caring way. They contradict the Savior’s message of love for one another.

Have the courage to walk out of a movie or video party, turn off a computer or television, change a radio station, or put down a magazine if what is being presented does not meet Heavenly Father’s standards. Do these things even if others do not. Let your friends and family know that you are committed to keeping God’s standards. You have the gift of the Holy Ghost, which will give you strength and help you make good choices.

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God Gave You a Body

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I read this amazing post by Stephanie at Diapers & Divinity last night about the shattering effect of pornography and couldn't help but feel the need to create something that would help me teach my young children how to defend themselves against these harmful images that surround us.

I will be using this "story" to teach my children how to keep their minds and bodies safe and to teach them the truth about who created their bodies in the first place.  

Feel free to use this story to springboard into a discussion with your precious children.  

Teach them today to flee from the pernicious tide of pornography.  They are not to young to learn these important truths.  Click below to download and print the story.  There is also a link in this document to some "modest" paper dolls to help facilitate your discussion.  

UPDATED September 2012:  "God Gave You a Body" is now a fully-illustrated children's book.  Please feel free to download the illustrated version below and print and share it with the children in your life:

God Gave You a Body - English Version
God Gave You a Body - German Translation.

God Gave You a Body

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Dangerous Book for Moms: Chapter 5

"You need NANNY MCPHEE!!!"

It's been a while since our last installment of The Dangerous Book for Moms, but a new and very important chapter came to me while I was sitting in church today.  My mind wandered to some photos I had seen on Facebook recently of some scantily clad young ladies.  I was confused by what I saw, and then I remembered the scary tale of woe which I will now relate.

It was 1992.  I was a freshman in high school:  the social birth of the rest of my teenage life.

I am pretty sure that I had my outfits planned for at least the first 30 days of school, with no repeats.  That was very important.  Had to look good, dontchaknow.  

Then one day, mid-October or so, I must've run out of outfits to wear, because I started to improvise.  Deep in the back of my closet was a cute little dress suit that my very stylish grandmother had given me for Christmas the year prior.  I hadn't worn it yet, because unfortunately, the suit was olive green and she had paired it with a mustard yellow turtleneck.  Ack.  Not my color.

But I was nearing the end of my "fall line" and I had no money to buy more clothes, so I gave it another chance.  Now being the 90's this outfit had a sweet "cutout" in the bottom of the jacket and a matching one in the bottom of the skirt, where some red metal circles dangled.  

Red.  I realized that I just so happened to have a red sports bra that when worn under said suit jacket would appear just like I was wearing a red tank top.

Brilliant.

I wore it to school that day, and received rave reviews from all of my peers.  My best friend thought I looked great, and so did I...until I saw my mom later that night at my volleyball game and saw the LOOK ON HER FACE.  Pure horror.

"Did you wear that outfit...that way...all day???"  

(I'm pretty sure steam was coming out of every possible orifice of her face before I even answered her.)

"Yes...why?" was my weak reply.

I knew I was in trouble.  No, trouble would not even begin to describe what I was in.

The outfit was just fine in my eyes, but not in hers, because the "cutout" portion revealed my "midrift" as parents were calling it those days.  Not acceptable.

What followed was an evening of "re-education" about what was modest and acceptable...and what was not.  I found it completely mortifying that I had to then stand in front of my Dad in the outfit and hear what he thought about it too.  I am guessing he found the experience equally mortifying.

If you haven't already guessed, this chapter of The Dangerous Book for Moms is really a chapter ripped right out of the playbook of the most dangerous Mom ever...MY MOM.

And you're about to get schooled on the way to make a punishment fit the crime.

What was the consequence for my actions going to be??

I knew I wasn't going to be grounded.  There wasn't much she could ground me from anyway without pulling me out of school (because I was always there).

I was informed that I would WEAR THE OUTFIT AGAIN TO SCHOOL THE VERY NEXT DAY...AND THIS TIME I'D WEAR IT THE RIGHT WAY...with the ugly yellow turtleneck underneath (sorry, Grandma, it just wasn't my color!).  AND...if anyone asked WHY I was wearing the same outfit two days in a row...I was to tell them exactly why...because it wasn't modest the other way.

(Teenagers of the world, you may now join me in one great, blood-curdling scream....Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Thanks.)

And furthermore, I was informed that I shouldn't even THINK about doing the old switcheroo into a new outfit once I got to school, because my Mom had "eyes everywhere" as she called them, who would call her and tell her if I tried anything funny.

Gosh, don't you guys just love my mom now? :)

So, the next day, I donned my beautiful olive green outfit and walked into school with my head held as high as I could possibly fake it, but inside feeling like a totally pathetic joke.

My best friend gave me a really funny look in homeroom and asked me what in the world was going on?  This outfit was no "t-shirt and jeans" look that could be passed off and worn twice in one week.  This was a very unique ensemble.

I explained what had happened to my friend, and she then looked at me with pity.

When I met up with my friend again in first period, she turned to me reassuringly and said, "Don't worry...I've told everyone why you are wearing that outfit again!"

Oh...joy.

As the day went on, I became much less concerned with what I was wearing and started, for the first time, to think of others.  I realized just how many classmates of mine actually wore the same outfits, the same jean/t-shirt combo every day or every other day.  I don't think they were doing it to make a fashion statement either.  

The punishment that my parents doled out suddenly held a much bigger consequence for me. I was all at once made painfully aware of how much I had and how much others didn't.  And I was made to realize that the self-absorbed, image-important path I was embarking on during this first quarter of my high school career was not the one that I should be taking.

I was no longer ashamed of my immodesty, as much as I was ashamed of the selfishness and pride that had lead me to wear an immodest outfit.  And boy, was I ashamed...deeply ashamed, and scared straight, if you will, back onto a path of not only modesty in dress but modesty in how I thought of myself and others.  It is a path of humility that I admit I must work hard to stay on every day since.

Now, I have a feeling that I've posted this story on my blog before (although I can't seem to find it!)  But I just had to include it in my Dangerous Book for Moms, because it was such a poignant lesson for me AND a fair warning to my children:  Please learn from me, and don't make me send you to school "re-wearing" an outfit the way that I had to when I was young!!  I promise you, you will not like it! 

So how do you guys like my Nanny McPhee Halloween costume?  My kids reacted just as I thought they would.  They are terrified of Nanny McPhee.  Ahem...I know the feeling.  Nanny McPhee is hardcore.  Unlike Mary Poppins, the nanny's methods are a little less sugar and a lot more tough-love-makes-the-medicine-go-down.

I sure am glad that my Mom gave me a little tough love when I needed it...(and a little Uncle Buck when I needed it too.)  I love you, Mom!

Perhaps when The Dangerous Book for Moms gets published, I could get Nanny McPhee to write the forward...nevermind, the Nanny has nothing on my Mom!  


PS - Just so everyone knows...My mom and I have talked about this series of events many times...and we both laugh about it now.  And just like in the Nanny McPhee movies, I see my Mother as the most beautiful person I know...because of these lessons that she was brave enough to teach me when I was young.

Lesson for Chapter 5:  Dangerous Moms always make the punishment fit the crime.

(*Linking up to Chocolate on My Cranium's Blog Hop on "Bravery"...not because of my bravery, but because of my Mom's!)

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